1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drug eluting technology in contact lens, particularly to a drug-carrying contact lens that can release drugs locally for a long period of time and a method for fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many people suffer from damaged or degenerating eyesight, such as myopia. Normally, the nearsighted wears glasses or contact lenses to obtain clear vision. For some people, the contact lens is a favorable option.
The contact lenses may be categorized into the rigid contact lens and the soft contact lens. The soft contact is normally made of silicone hydrogels, PAA (polyacrylamide), or PHEMA (poly 2-Hydroxy ethylmethacrylate). The soft contact lens is more comfortable and cheaper for the users and thus becomes the mainstream in the market. Although the material of the soft contact lens has been greatly improved, the irritation problem of wearing contact lenses still exists. The user wearing contact lenses usually feels eyes dry and irritable because humidity decreases in user's eyes. Thus, the user has to apply a wetting agent to the contact lenses. When infected or irritated, eyes need some eyedrops or refreshing liquids. However, most of eyedrops or refreshing liquids are unlikely to apply to the eyes wearing contact lenses. In such a condition, the users should feel very inconvenient.
No matter whether the user wears contact lenses or not, the eyedrop, which has been dropped into eyes, would lose because of blinking, dilution, or rejection. Thus, the eyes can only absorb about 5% of the drug. Besides, the drug stays in eyes only for a short period of time. Once the drug enters the blood circulation, some side effects may occur.
Accordingly, the present invention proposes a drug-carrying contact lens and a method for fabricating the same to prevent or cure ocular diseases and overcome the abovementioned problems.